Ornamental display devices have long been known for displaying pictures and three dimensional objects. To applicant's knowledge, ornamental display devices of the prior art are constructed to display either pictures or other two dimensional objects, or they are arranged to display three dimensional objects. Applicant has no knowledge of any ornamental display container in the prior art that selectively displays either a two dimensional object, such as a picture, or a three dimensional object, such as a toy figurine, at the option of the user.
Heretofore, picture frames have been known of many constructions but they are arranged to exhibit only two dimensional objects. Display cases for exhibiting three dimensional objects are usually large stationary containers such as the glass walled containers for counters in department stores and museums. Portable containers are also known for exhibiting small objects, such as jewelry, but none of these prior art containers combine the ability to selectively display either a two dimensional object or a three dimensional object within the same container at the option of the user.
The ornamental display container of this invention may be used as a convenient and attractive package. In its preferred form it is made of virtually unbreakable plastic which may be transparent or opaque as desired. A transparent container made in accordance with the invention has been successfully sent through the United States Postal System as ordinary first class mail without any wrapping or packaging. It has come to applicant's attention, subsequent to the present invention, that General Electric Company was offering in October, 1978 what it calls a personalized photo ornament kit comprising two hemispheres releasably attached together in overlapping relation along their equatorial edges. A neck portion is formed integral with the hemispheres and supports inwardly extending posts which abut each other when the hemispheres are clamped together to releasably support a relatively rigid backing to which a desired photograph is adhesively attached for display. There is no suggestion of using the General Electric kit for the display of three dimensional objects and the General Electric container is not usable as a package, being subject to breakage.